Common enrollment plan recommended for Detroit schools

Detroit should launch a citywide school enrollment system led by Mayor Mike Duggan, according to recommendations in a report released Tuesday by a nonprofit group.(Photo: Mandi Wright/Detroit Free Press)Buy Photo

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Report says new system would make it easier for students to be tracked, parents to apply

New Orleans, Denver, New Jersey and Washington, D.C., all have some form of common enrollment

The report also recommends exploring other reforms such as a city-wide school transportation system

Detroit should launch a citywide school enrollment system led by Mayor Mike Duggan, according to recommendations in a report released Tuesday by a nonprofit group.

The suggestion comes as key education leaders have ramped up discussions about potentially launching common enrollment in Detroit as soon as this spring.

"I think that's the goal," said Tim Wood, who runs the charter schools office at Grand Valley State University and has been involved in the talks. "There's still some work that has to be done. There are a lot of people … who recognize the benefits, and now it's just a matter of coming up with a system and building an enrollment platform for students."

Supporters say common enrollment makes it easier for parents because they don't have to navigate multiple school applications and deadlines. Schools could benefit by having a more reliable way of tracking students in a city where it's not uncommon for children to move from school to school.

New Orleans, Denver, Newark, N.J., and Washington, D.C., all have some form of common enrollment.

Under the system, parents typically fill out a single application for all or most publicly funded schools in an area, including charters. They rank their top preferences. A computer algorithm then matches students to available spots.

Besides Duggan, the report says the system could also be overseen by the Michigan Department of Education, Detroit Public Schools or a hybrid of nonprofit groups. But it says placing it under the mayor would provide greater accountability.

While such a system by itself would not directly address long-term problems surrounding education in Detroit, such as academic performance or Detroit Public Schools' large deficit, it could be an important first step toward broader reforms.

"Common enrollment is not the only answer, but it will help us move closer to having more cohesion around the education system in Detroit," said Sharlonda Buckman, CEO of the Detroit Parent Network.

Buckman co-chaired an advisory group formed to explore common enrollment. Its members include Detroit Public Schools; the Education Achievement Authority, the state's reform district for the lowest-performing schools; Excellent Schools Detroit, a coalition of education, civic and community leaders; the Skillman Foundation; the Michigan Association of Public School Academies, a charter advocacy group, and other organizations.

After months of discussions, they created a new subcommittee this month to further explore setting up common enrollment in Detroit.

Excellent Schools Detroit commissioned the report released Tuesday by the Institute for Innovation in Public School Choice, a nonprofit that designs common enrollment nationwide.

It said Detroit is a complex public school market — with Detroit Public Schools, dozens of charters run by multiple authorizers and a 15-school state reform district — that is hard for parents to navigate. The report said the system fuels unhealthy competition among schools for students.

■ Create a single guide for all Detroit's public schools and a universal application.

■ Use a centralized clearinghouse to match students to schools.

■ Build or purchase a state-of-the-art data management systems for all public schools.

■ Explore other reforms such as a citywide school transportation system.

Neil Dorosin, head of the institute, said a grant from the Dell Foundation could help establish common enrollment in the city, a process that by some estimates could cost around $1 million. The goal is to have it publicly funded over the long term.

Common enrollment is not without controversy. The recently launched One Newark system in New Jersey has sparked protests from residents who say they were left out of the planning process and that children were matched with schools that were far away.

Common enrollment is one of several possible reforms generating buzz as Detroit is expected to emerge from municipal bankruptcy by the end of this year. Both Duggan and Gov. Rick Snyder know that the revival and long-term success of the city is linked with having strong public schools.

Duggan could not immediately be reached for comment late Tuesday.

Meanwhile, some members of the State Board of Education said Tuesday the board — which provides general supervision over public education in the state, sets policy and advises the Legislature — should play a role in the discussions about Detroit.

"We have not been involved in those discussions," said Kathleen Straus, D-Detroit, during the board's monthly meeting.

The arrival in Michigan this year of Paul Pastorek, former state superintendent in Louisiana, has fueled speculation about what's in store for the future of schools in Detroit, where the public school system is run by an emergency manager and facing a $127-million deficit.

Pastorek was at the helm in Louisiana when the state created the Recovery School District, which took over many of the schools in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. He was brought in by Snyder and has been having conversations with many people about education in Detroit, board president John Austin said.